In multicast and broadcast applications, data is transmitted from a server to multiple receivers over wired and/or wireless networks. A multicast system as used herein is a system in which a server transmits the same data to multiple receivers simultaneously, where the receivers form a subset of all the receivers up to and including all of the receivers. A broadcast system is a system in which a server transmits the same data to all of the receivers simultaneously. That is, a multicast system by definition can include a broadcast system.
A parent gets better information about media programming that a child wants to consume, when the parent can control in real-time what programming (content) the child gets to watch/playback. This is better than using passive methods such as the V-Chip or related methods, which are passive parental controls. A V-chip sets a specific rating for the programming (content) that a child can watch in advance. That, is a V-chip relies on the rating of the program and compares the program (content) rating that the parent specified in advance to what is about to be aired (broadcast/multicast) and permits or disallows the rendering (viewing) by a child on the display device. V-chip technology works much like closed captioning and uses the vertical blanking interval in the television signal. The system receives a special code in the broadcast/multicast signal which indicates the show's score according to a simple numerical rating system for violence, sex, and language. The programs' signals are encoded according to their rating, on line 21 of the broadcast signal's vertical blanking interval using the XDS protocol, and this is detected by the television set's V-chip. If the program rating is outside the level configured as acceptable on that particular television the program is blocked. The V-chip does not block news or sports casts as this sort of programming does not have ratings.